LeBron James Tells Lakers He Will Leave, Despite Team’s Push to Retain Him
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Los Angeles — LeBron James has notified the Los Angeles Lakers that he intends to play for another team in the 2026-27 season, ending an eight-year run highlighted by one championship and six postseason appearances.
Reports from ESPN’s Dave McMenamin and The Athletic’s Shams Charania on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, indicated the Lakers made it clear they wanted the NBA’s all-time leading scorer to return. A source close to James told ESPN that the 41-year-old forward believed “it was time to move on.”
James joined the Lakers in July 2018, when the franchise was coming off five consecutive losing seasons. Two years later, he led Los Angeles to the 2020 NBA title and later surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the league’s career scoring leader while wearing purple and gold.
Speculation about the future of the partnership intensified after the Lakers acquired Luka Dončić at the 2025 trade deadline, but no specific details about the split have emerged. Further information is expected after James signs with a new club.
The Lakers face additional roster uncertainty as starting guard Marcus Smart, who declined a $5.4 million player option, is expected to explore unrestricted free agency. League chatter suggests the Houston Rockets are the frontrunner for the defensive specialist on a three-year deal.
General manager Rob Pelinka must now address the potential departures of both James and Smart—two starters who helped Los Angeles advance beyond the first round of this year’s playoffs.
Source: LakersNation.com
